Gift of Grace

by Shanna Hatfield

  “I’ll cherish these forever,” the woman said. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.” Nora tipped her head toward the basket J.B. held. “There are a few things in there for Violet and John. I hope you don’t mind.”

  “Not at all.” Mrs. Gibson took the basket from J.B. with a look of gratitude on her face. “I will never be able to thank you enough for everything you’ve done to help me and the young’uns. If it wasn’t for you, Mrs. Nash, we’d be spending Christmas Eve in a cold shack with watery broth for our supper. Instead, we have a warm home to go to and a fine meal awaiting us.”

  “I’m pleased with the arrangement, too,” Mr. Ackerman said, smiling at Mrs. Gibson. “She invited me to eat with them tonight and tomorrow for dinner. I can hardly wait.”

  “Well, we won’t keep you from it,” J.B. said, mindful of the affectionate way Mr. Ackerman looked at Mrs. Gibson. “We wish you both the happiest Christmas.”

  “And to you both,” Mrs. Gibson said, taking the baby from Nora then kissing her cheek. “Thank you, again.”

  “It’s our pleasure.” Nora kissed the cheeks of John and Violet and waved at them as Mr. Ackerman lifted Violet and Mrs. Gibson took John’s tiny hand in hers. She leaned closer to J.B. and lowered her voice. “I think they’re going to make a nice family together.”

  “I was thinking the same thing,” J.B. said, wrapping his arm around Nora’s shoulder and pulling her against his side. “If you’re done bestowing gifts like Saint Nick’s helper, we should probably head home.”

  “Yes. I saw Jim and the boys leave earlier. They’ll be anxious for dinner, I’m sure.” Nora gazed up at J.B. and smiled.

  His heart tripped in his chest, just like it did the first time she smiled at him.

  “Nora, I couldn’t help but witness what you did, giving Mrs. Gibson some of Grace’s things,” Pastor Whitting said as he stepped in front of them. “That is one of the most selfless, beautiful sacrifices I’ve ever witnessed. Thank you for sharing something with her I know was so precious to you. You’ve shown me a perfect example of extending grace and love.”

  “How could I not when she has such a great need?” Nora asked.

  “Indeed.” The pastor turned to J.B. and grinned. “You have quite a wife.”

  “I know I do. I’m not sure why the good Lord decided to bless me so richly, but I’m grateful just the same.” J.B. pressed a kiss to Nora’s cheek. “We best be on our way, but Merry Christmas to you, Pastor Whitting. If you don’t have plans, you’re welcome at our table tomorrow.”

  “Thank you for that offer, but Doctor and Mrs. Reed have invited me to dine with them after church.”

  “That’s grand. I suppose we’ll see you tomorrow then.” J.B. ushered Nora toward the door. He helped her with her coat and then gave her an arm as they hurried toward the wagon.

  They were almost home when it started to snow. Nora tipped her head up and caught a snowflake on her tongue.

  J.B. chuckled. “You act as though you’ve never tasted snow before.”

  “It always tastes better on Christmas Eve.” She offered him a sassy smile then caught another snowflake on her tongue.

  “I can’t decide if you’re more woman or child sometimes, apple cheeks,” he mused, shaking his head at her.

  “A mix of both, I suppose,” she said as he stopped the wagon near the house so she could get inside out of the cold. He gave her a hand down then took the wagon to the barn. After brushing down the horses and giving them feed and making sure they had water, he walked over to the bunkhouse and tapped on the door.

  Jim pulled it open. “Hi, boss.”

  “If you’re hungry, Nora should have dinner on the table by now.” J.B. tipped his head toward the house. “Come on up to the house when you’re ready.”

  “We’ll be right there,” Jim said, lifting his coat from a peg by the door and motioning to Henry and Lyle. “We appreciate Mrs. Nash offering to include us in your family meals tonight and tomorrow.”

  J.B. thumped Jim on the shoulder. “That’s because you are family.”

  Jim nodded and J.B. hurried to the house. When he opened the kitchen door, the scents of roasted meat and yeasty rolls mingled with the spicy aroma of cinnamon and cloves as well as the fragrance of their Christmas tree. Their home smelled of Christmas and happy memories as he closed the door behind him.

  His wife stood at the stove, stirring a pan of gravy. The bow of the apron she wore bobbed at her waist with each movement she made.

  “It sure smells good in here, Nora.” J.B. removed his gloves, hat, and coat, leaving them on pegs by the door then washed his hands at the sink. “What can I do to help? The boys are on their way over.”

  She glanced over her shoulder at him with a smile. “If you’d carve the ham, everything else is just about ready.”

  By the time their hired hands arrived, Nora poured the gravy into a bowl then set it on the table covered with an array of delicious food. In addition to ham, mashed potatoes and gravy, there were bowls of corn, cranberry sauce, yams, and pickles. For dessert, Nora served apple and pumpkin pies and offered the men cups of spiced cider.

  After they ate until they couldn’t hold another bite, they played parlor games. J.B. lit the candles on the tree and they sang carols until it grew quite late.

  The men thanked them for a wonderful evening and trooped back out to the bunkhouse, promising to join them for breakfast in the morning.

  Nora seemed as excited as a child as she stood next to J.B. waving to the men as they walked through the swirling snow.

  When J.B. closed the door, Nora looked up at him with such happiness on her face, his heart started thudding in an accelerated beat.

  “It was a lovely evening, wasn’t it?” Nora asked as she set a few unwashed cups and dessert plates in the sink. She started to wash them, but J.B. dried her hands on a dish towel and led her into the parlor. He turned out all of the lamps while Nora extinguished the candles on the tree until the only light came from the fire crackling in the fireplace.

  He sank onto the sofa and pulled Nora onto his lap.

  She giggled then turned to him with a look he hadn’t seen on her face in what seemed like ages.

  “I love you, Nora. I can’t imagine my life without you in it, and I’m so, so thankful you’re feeling more like yourself,” J.B. said in a husky voice. His hands bracketed her face then he slid his fingers into the rich silkiness of her hair.

  “I love you, too, J.B. I’m sorry I’ve been so… difficult since we lost Grace. I know what happened isn’t your fault. It’s no one’s fault. For reasons we’ll never understand, God needed Grace more than we did. I just hope my papa is holding her in his arms.”

  “Charlie would like that,” J.B. said, shifting so Nora was cuddled against his chest. He kissed her temple and held her close. “I know the past weeks have been hard on you, Nora. In the future, it might make trials easier to bear if we can go through them together instead of fighting our way past them alone.”

  “I agree. I don’t ever want to be so separated from you again, J.B. Even though we were in the same house, I pushed you so far away, you might as well have been back in Omaha.” Nora brushed a hand over his chin then kissed him softly. “I’ve missed you so much.”

  “No more than I’ve missed you, Nora. Don’t you know you’re the other half of my heart? Without your love and affection, I’m only half alive.”

  “Then let’s make sure you feel whole,” she said, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him until they both were breathless.

  J.B. smiled against her lips. “I truly do love you, Nora. With all my heart. Always.”

  “Then show me, J.B.”

  He lifted her in his arms and stood. “Yes, ma’am.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Nora smiled as she stretched in bed, not quite ready to start the day. She opened one eye, expecting to see J.B. beside her, but the bed was empty. On his pillow was a peppermint stick tied with a clumsy
red bow and a note.

  Merry Christmas, sweet apple cheeks!

  I thought I’d give the boys the morning off from chores and take care of them before they get up. Thank you for a beautiful Christmas Eve. I look forward to more gifts from you later today.

  With all my love,

  J.B.

  Nora blushed at the implication of what those gifts might be. She tossed back the covers and hurried to dress in a festive green velvet dress. She took a few extra moments to style her hair, fashioning little tendrils to fall around her ears and temples. With the peppermint stick in her mouth, she hurried into the kitchen and tied on her biggest apron.

  J.B. had stoked the stove and built a fire in the parlor that crackled cheerily and took the chill from the house. Nora lit the lamps then set about making breakfast with slices of ham, sausages, potatoes, eggs, sweet bread and pastries, fried apples, and plenty of coffee.

  The sound of boots stamping snow outside the door made her smile as she turned to welcome the men. J.B. led them inside and they all greeted her with a cheerful “Merry Christmas!”

  “Merry Christmas to you all,” Nora said then hurried to pour cups of coffee for each of them.

  “Merry Christmas, my beautiful girl,” J.B. whispered in her ear as he seated her at the table. He kissed her temple before he sat down and offered a heartfelt word of thanks for the special day and meal.

  The men were in high spirits as they ate. After the meal, Nora gave each one of them a paper sack filled with oranges, hard candy, wrapped chocolates, and nuts.

  J.B. handed them their gifts. They were like little boys receiving the toy they’d always dreamed of as they unwrapped the packages and exclaimed over the warm gloves as well as the books that would give them something to do on long winter evenings.

  “Thank you so much,” Jim said, giving J.B.’s hand a hearty shake then kissing Nora’s cheek. The other two hired men did the same.

  Jim moved toward the door then looked back at them. “We couldn’t find a better place to work if we tried. Thank you for making us feel so at home here at Nash’s Folly.”

  “It’s our pleasure to have you working for us. Thank you for faithful service.” J.B. said, shaking their hands again as the men tugged on their coats and left with their gifts.

  Nora started cleaning up the dishes and, to her delight, J.B. helped her. “The quicker we get this done, the sooner we can open our gifts.”

  “Perhaps we should wait until after church,” Nora said, glancing at the clock. They still had plenty of time before they needed to leave for the morning service, but she enjoyed taunting J.B. He was worse than a whole passel of ornery little boys when it came to receiving gifts. He had no patience and could hardly stand to wait until it was time to open his presents.

  “We’ve got time,” he said, washing dishes with additional haste.

  Nora laughed and hurried to dry the dishes and put them away. She already had a turkey roasting in the oven for dinner and the rest of the meal would come together quickly. J.B. had gone out hunting with Jim a few days ago and returned with a plump turkey perfect for their Christmas dinner. Nora could almost taste the crispy brown skin and tender meat.

  In record time, the dishes were finished and the leftover food stored in the icebox on the porch.

  J.B. grabbed her hand and tugged her into the parlor. He dug through the packages beneath the fragrant tree and handed her a box wrapped in brown paper but tied with a lovely green ribbon that matched the gown she wore.

  Nora took the box and sat on the end of the sofa nearest the tree. She took her time untying the ribbon, setting it aside to thread into her hair before they left for church.

  J.B. looked as though he might burst if she didn’t rip away the paper and open the box, so she did. When she lifted the lid, she gasped and lifted out a beautiful doll with dark brown hair and angel wings dressed in a white gown trimmed with exquisite lace.

  “Oh, it’s wonderful” she said, cradling the angel in her hands. She smiled up at J.B. with tears in her eyes. “I love it. Thank you.”

  He knelt in front of her and placed his hands over hers. “I thought this might be a reminder of Grace, like she’s here with us, especially at Christmas. I know there will always be a part of our hearts that ache for her, Nora, that miss her and love her. I’m so proud of you for what you did yesterday, giving Mrs. Gibson the things that belonged to Grace. It was one of the bravest things I’ve ever seen.”

  Nora felt her chin trembling as tears rolled down her cheeks. She wrapped her arms around J.B. and he lifted her, taking a seat on the rocking chair with her held close to him.

  When her tears subsided, he wiped them away with his thumbs then kissed her forehead. “I love you so much, Nora. I want today to be a happy day for you, not one that makes you cry.”

  “I know, J.B. It is a happy day. I’m so blessed, in our home and this life, and especially by you. But I think there’s always going to be a little sadness mixed in with the joy.” Nora looked down at the angel she still held. “I love this, though. I want to place it at the top of our tree every year, so it will be like Grace is looking down on us all.”

  “That’s a grand idea.”

  Nora stood and J.B. rose to his feet, taking the angel from her and settling it on a branch at the top of the tree.

  Nora clasped her hands together and smiled. “It’s perfect. She’s perfect.”

  “It does look nice,” J.B. said, pulling Nora back against him and resting his chin on top of her head. “Speaking of nice, I’ve been a very nice boy all year. Do you think Saint Nick might have left a present for me?”

  A laugh rolled out of Nora and she turned to her husband. “You are probably on his naughty list, but I do believe he left a little something for you.”

  Nora gave J.B. the gloves and book she’d purchased for him, along with a box of candy she knew he liked.

  He thanked her and started to gather up the torn paper and ribbons.

  “I think there might be one more thing for you,” she said, taking one of the paper hearts off the tree and handing it to him.

  J.B. gave her a curious glance then stuck his fingers inside the heart and pulled out a tiny gift wrapped in white muslin and tied with a red string. He quickly removed the string and folded back the muslin, revealing the watch.

  “I needed a new watch and this is a dandy,” J.B. said, rubbing his fingers over the outside of the silver watch.

  “Open it,” Nora said, suddenly feeling as impatient as J.B. had been earlier.

  He opened the cover and turned the watch so the inscription caught the light.

  To J.B.

  For all time, I’m yours.

  Love,

  Nora

  “This is wonderful, Nora. Thank you so much,” J.B. set the watch on the table next to the rocking chair and lifted Nora in his arms.

  She sighed in pleasure as his lips caressed hers, melding their hearts together again.

  “For all time, I belong to you, too,” he said in a deep rumble then kissed her so passionately, she forgot about everything except the man she loved. The man she would love until her last breath.

  Finally, J.B. set her on her feet and glanced at the clock on the mantel above the fireplace. “I reckon we better get going or we’ll be late for church.”

  While J.B. banked the fire in the parlor and cleaned up the wrappings from their gifts, Nora took a moment to twine the green ribbon in her hair. She pinned on a hat, slipped her arms into the coat J.B. held for her, then tugged on her gloves as they hurried outside to the wagon Jim had harnessed to Billy and Buster.

  The three hired men grinned and hopped into the back of the wagon to ride with them to the Sunday service.

  After church and chatting with friends, they returned to Nash’s Folly where the Erickson family joined them for a lively meal filled with an abundance of good food and fun.

  Erik kept looking at the tree, visible through the doorway into the parlor. Jim had lit th
e candles for Nora when they returned from church as she hurried to make final meal preparations and J.B. carved the turkey.

  “You think there might be something in there for you?” J.B. asked the little boy.

  Eyes wide, Erik looked at J.B. “I hope so. I got lots of good things at home from Julenisse this morning, but Saint Nick comes to your house, doesn’t he?”

  “He certainly does,” Nora said, winking at Erik.

  Full from the meal, they agreed to wait for dessert and went to the parlor where they all watched as Erik opened his gift with shouts of glee.

  “It’s too much, too kind,” Anna said as she watched her son excitedly examine each animal that went with his ark.

  “No. Nothing is too much for friends as dear as you,” Nora said, giving the woman a hug.

  Anna loved the tablecloth with matching napkins and Einar expressed appreciation for his gifts.

  Nora was in tears, again, when she opened a beautiful red and white blanket Anna had crocheted. “Every time I look at it, I’ll think of you and this special Christmas.”

  To Nora’s surprise, J.B. handed her another present wrapped in shiny paper. She opened it to find a length of lilac-hued watered silk with all the buttons, lace, ribbons and thread she’d need to create a beautiful spring gown.

  “I can hardly wait to wear it,” Nora said, holding the fabric up and admiring the splendid color. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome, Nora. I thought it might cheer you up during the dull days of January to have something pretty to work on.”

  Astounded by her husband’s thoughtfulness, she hurried over to give him a hug as he sat in a side chair by the fire. Instead of letting her go, he pulled her onto his lap and kissed her in front of everyone.

  Nora blushed, but didn’t move from him when he let her go.

  Later, after all their company had left and the two of them sat on the sofa watching the last candle burn out on the tree, Nora sighed contentedly as she snuggled against J.B.

  “Did you have a merry Christmas, apple cheeks?”